Become an Insider

THR Horsecrazy on the other side 9:am July 19th

Status
Not open for further replies.
horsecrazy Duke has a very fine reputation, you both must enjoy being a part of it. It sounds like you're located very conveniently to your jobs, which is always a plus. North Carolina is a state that appeals to many people my age for eventual retirement. My favorite ENT moved there after he retired. The winters are certainly a lot less stressful than here in New England. Although you folks have a worse hurricane season, but Durham isn't so close to the coast.
I'm afraid that I'm having one of those post-op complications - tendonitis, they believe, so I'm still not out of the woods yet, unfortunately. But I'm hoping that they're on the right track and I'll improve soon!
Take care and keep up with the good recovery!:)
 
ByGosh, I can certainly tell you that this would be a great place to retire - 3 hours from the beach, 3 from the mountains, due to the universities and the "Research Triangle" we have tons of "everything" in this area. We love it.
However, the hurricanes do, on occasion, cause some significant issues here (loads of rain, power outages, trees down, etc).

I have some little "extra" pain today in the lower front of my "hippie" leg, and I'm thinking it is something like tendonitis--very annoying. I'm sure it will take a while for all the muscles to sort themselves out! I am lowering my pain meds, with success so far. I take one at night when I go to bed and one in the morning to help with morning PT (he gave me 15 mg morphine, to be taken once every 3 hours as needed).

Good luck with your continued healing and let me know how your new issue resolves!
 
I had a hard time sleeping on my back also because I am a side sleeper. I had so many pillows in my bed propping this that and the other thing that there was barely room for bodies! When I was on my back, I slept with both legs elevated on pillows so they would feel balanced and it felt good on my lower back. Then when I turned over onto the other side, and what a project that was in the early days after surgery, I kept a king size pillow sandwiched between my legs, all the way down to my feet (I'm 5'7" also - so king size covers the distance well).

I still sleep on my side with a pillow between my legs (at 3 months post op), again a pillow long enough so that it also supports the top foot and keeps it in line with the hip, otherwise it's causing stress on the hip. If I sleep with my foot hanging off, I wake up with a sore, achy hip.

To sleep on my operated side I take two king size pillows and put them next to one another lengthwise several inches away from the pillow I used for my head (or even a foot or so, well below the shoulders - you have to experiment with placement to find out what's comfortable). Then I laid on my side with my operated hip situated in the middle of the two pillows. It takes some of the pressure off the hip.

Just thought I'd throw that out there in case it helps! Hope you can understand what I meant. Here's to a good night's sleep!! :) :sleep:
 
Wow, I am glad that i am and always have been a back sleeper. Just to think what you pele have to go through to get a nights sleep.
 
Ruby Red, Thanks, those were helpful tips! Yes, just turning a bit, or gosh forbid having to get up to pee, is major event in the middle of the night. I wake up my hubby, and my two groggy dogs look at me like "ARE YOU NUTS".....what an adventure.
 
Ruby Red That was a very good explaination of pillow positioning for sleep! It's helpful - and makes sense not to let the operated side foot dangle or hang, so there's less stress on the op hip. Sleeping on the op side with the pillows positioned to keep the hip off of the bed is an idea my PT showed me to help with my trochanteric bursitis. I'm glad it worked out for you. I was in a bit of a pickle because I had both hips done, but I figured it out after a few weeks.
Thanks for the info, I'm sure alot of THR people here will find it helpful.

horsecrazy I'm glad you're able to successfully cut your pain meds down and still feel comfortable. Too bad you have a little extra pain in the op leg - I think it's so typical to have different places act up after THR. Just the positioning during the surgery can be stressful. Then there's the body adjusting to a new hip, with new alignment and walking with a different gait, etc. I'm sure it'll straighten out for you soon. Remember the ice - it seems to help with aches and pains everywhere, I think.
Your location sounds perfect for just about anything, really. I'm sure you also have excellent medical care there, too, with the universities and the research. Except for the hurricaines - do you folks typically have generators to take over when there are power outages? We got one a few years ago, but it's so cumbersome and loud, and needs to be run outside with a long extension cord, so it's not very practical. And if there's a blizzard, the logistics of setting it up are daunting. There are now installations of generators that run automatically - they're somehow hooked up to the home's electrical, and they take right over. That's a new thing since we had a few prolonged outages here in the past few years with some hurriaines and a blizzard. Those weather events left people without power for more than a week. That's pretty difficult with cold temperatures!
 
My 11-day post op visit went well. I'm off pain meds with the exception of one pill at bedtime to get to sleep. I'm doing at much PT as my body will allow and trying to get stronger each day. I can probably start driving in a week or two. I can get around really good with a cane in the house and crutches outside. I've had three outings so far, which feel great.

My stitches are out, I'm done with the injections, and I only have to wear the support hose for another week. I'm also told that I don't need to elevate any longer, but just use ice when I am sore from any activity.

I could actually ride again at 6 weeks if I feel strong enough, but this would be only walking and no sitting trot, etc. However, it seems the general rule is that it is better to wait a full 3 months before riding again so that is my plan. My only real danger now, or then, is falling (off horse or just walking around).

I still am in some pain when I walk, and I hope that resolves soon so that I can tell for sure the surgery was a success. But I know that it will likely be a few more weeks before I don't feel pain of some sort. They lengthened my leg 1 inch, repaired two torn tendons, in addition to the full hip replacement--so there is a lot of healing that has to take place!

I go back in 4 weeks for my 6 week post op visit. Hope all is well with all my BS pals!
 
Hello horsecrazy Congratulations on a very good 11 day report. You're doing well, and it's very sensible not to push yourself with the riding, especially if you had some additional repairs during surgery. There is a lot of healing going on inside and it takes time.
Good luck, I'm glad you're coming along so well! :)
 
horsecrazy Congratulations! I'm happy to hear you are doing so well. I hope your recovery continues to be smooth.
 
@byhodh. horsecrazy. I just saw the post from july 24!!! I loose posts quite often! Lol but yes, I am from PA. Where in Pa was your hubby originally from?
 
Meggzie Hey, just wondering how you are doing? Hope the limp is getting better! Remind me how many weeks post-op you are.....
 
Hi horsecrazy. Sounds like you are going great!! Wow, riding at 6 weeks...cant imagine that! (I can really, but there was no way my body was ready at that stage) I hope you can! But I also see that you're Bonesmart enough to play it by ear and wait longer if your body says so!

Things are tracking along ok here downunder - I'll be 10 weeks post op tomorrow. When I really concentrate, the limp is almost a thing of the past, but when I'm tired it creeps back in a little bit. I cant say I limp because I hurt; I think it's more because the soft tissue structures are still healing around the joint and so cant support completely yet.

Sometimes, I do get a bit down about the time it's taking for the limp to disappear, but then I give myself a reality check, read some Bonesmart wisdom and suck it up! :wink: The recovery is what it is, cant be compared to anyone else's, yada, yada, yada. I am grateful that I have a shiny new hip!!

I'm going in to see the OS on Tuesday to talk about the left hip and see what's to be done with it - depending on how arthritic it is, there's either an arthroscopic debridement or another THR in my future - that will mean a matched set. :thud: What ever happens, it wont be for another few months - my schedule is too busy, and the surgeon's list is pretty much set months in advance.... in the meantime, I'm on to more important things....

I had a goal of 3 months (give or take) before I started riding again. I'm down to just 27 sleeps!! :happydance: I've started to bring the big fella back into work with a bit of lungeing this weekend, and in the week or so before I jump on, I'll have a friend ride him for me a few times. When he first came to me he had been standing in a paddock, doing nothing but eat for nearly 2 years - he was an angel, right from the start. I dont think there'll be any shenanigans - but I'm not about to take any chances!!

Every now and again when I'm tired and a bit limpy, I wonder if 27 sleeps might be too soon, and other days, I feel like I could just jump on!! I think you are very wise to wait until you feel strong and stable enough - I might put my D-day back too, if it doesnt feel right.

Here's to us horsey hippies, :cheers: and I think that we should make a deal that we post our 'first bionic ride' pictures here ASAP once we're back in our respective saddles. Whaddaya say? :yes:
 
Meggzie I'm so glad to hear you are continuing to do better! When I go out to the barn now to see my guy I think about your trip and it makes be extra careful not to walk fast on uneven surfaces--much easier to learn from others :giggle: I have to say, I was shocked when told I could ride at 6 weeks if I felt strong enough--as long as I didn't "bounce too much". There is just no way, as bad as I want to, that I would feel comfortable taking that risk. My horse is sweet as the day is long, but crazy spooky. I did think about riding a friend's horse that is just dead to the world, but then, that just wouldn't be the same - so I'll wait till I feel secure enough to ride "Prince Ilya (barn name "Earnie"). I put so much time getting him into shape the past year I just didn't want that to fade so I'm having a working student keep him going. I go out and watch her ride him and it kills me :boohoo: But soon enough I'll be back on.
I agree, we will have to exchange pics of our first rides :iagree: So, that is a promise!

Sorry to hear you are facing another surgery at some point, but it sure seems there are a ton of bilateral hippies out there! Keep us all posted on your continued recovery :friends:
 
horsecrazy Yikes! So much damage from your fall. OUCH! I am so lucky! I fell off of a horse and landed flat on my back, but I was only 12 at the time and kids usually just bounce. It was also only on dirt not concrete as yours was.
I asked at my pre-op and was told no injections and no TED stockings but I was also told no icing or toes above the nose elevating and I haven't seen anyone here on BS agreeing with him. Also no 90 degree rule, why is it I have luck with some things but I can never win a contest, a prize drawing or the lottery? Oh well, I guess I should just shut-up and be grateful for the little things :)
 
didoan You may be given pills instead of the injections, that seems to be what some others have reported. As for TEDS, not sure - but you are lucky cos I HATE them, especially in the summer! I was not told ice or elevate either, however I have done both following BS suggestions and they both help (especially the ice). You must be having anterior dislocation, that would be the reason for the no 90 degree rule from what I understand. Yep, you have lucked out on several things :SUNsmile:
 
horsecrazy, didoan, I didn't need to wear those stockings, either. My doctor said as long as I walked, and took the Xarelto, I wouldn't get into trouble. I only had to take the Xarelto for 10 days (including the days I was in the hospital). My understanding is that those shots are not painful. My husband had to give them to himself (!) every day for nearly three years, before Xarelto came on the market.
 
horsecrazy, I am having mini-posterior. Yes to the pills instead of shots. The only restrictions I was given (by the PA) so far are no adduction or abduction but we shall see what the surgeon orders later, I'm not really counting on getting away so easily :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel
Corganics CBD

Staff online

Members online

Total: 828 (members: 1, guests: 827)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom